The present invention relates generally to an electronic card game. More particularly, an electronic card game that affords a player the opportunity to receive a first payout and a bonus payout. Said first payout based on a standard pay table associated with the overall card hand achieved and said bonus payout based on a player achieving a best hand in comparison to a plurality of hands.
While any competitive card game can be played according to the present invention, poker is used by way of example throughout this specification. Poker is the most popular card game in the world and has been for centuries. Casinos have long benefitted from both live poker games and electronic video poker machines. xe2x80x9cVideo pokerxe2x80x9d, as it is commonly known, first consists of a player inserting a wager into a video poker machine. Thereafter, the player is dealt five face-up cards from a standard 52 card deck. The player then decides which of the five dealt cards to hold and which to discard. The discards are replaced by new dealt cards from the remaining cards in the deck. The player, according to predefined winnings hands and a pre-established pay table, is paid for the resultant poker hand (e.g. 4000 coins for a royal flush, 250 coins for 4 of a kind, etc.).
Many variations of video poker are disclosed in the patent literature. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,732,950, 5,816,916 and 5,823,873 all to Moody disclose video poker games which allow simultaneous play of multiple poker hands based on identically held cards. In other words, the player can hold the best cards in a first hand and the identical cards will be transposed to multiple hands whereby the player can draw into the selected best cards in multiple hands. The Moody patents provide players with more opportunities to win prizes and thus have been very successful in practice.
However, the common theme present in all video poker games is that the player is awarded a prize based on the player""s hand(s) alone. Playing video poker over time can become repetitive since only the player""s poker hand is considered. Therefore, the continued need exists for increasing the excitement and realism associated with video poker games.
The present invention overcomes the referenced deficiencies existing in the prior art, namely the lack of inherent excitement with traditional video poker games. By allowing increased player interaction and multiple payouts, the present invention provides an exciting new element to video poker games.
An object of the present invention is to provide a more exciting and realistic video poker experience.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a simulated live poker game on an electronic apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide multiple independent payouts based on a single poker hand whereby a bonus payout is based on a game player""s resultant hand being the highest hand displayed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a player a choice of multiple variations of poker games (i.e. hold""em and stud) not typically offered by a traditional video poker machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for a video poker machine to play poker hands pursuant to a preprogrammed method of play.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a more realistic experience by dealing cards in their traditional manner to multiple simulated players rather than dealing a single hand off the xe2x80x9ctop of the deck.xe2x80x9d
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fold option such that players may recover a portion of their initial wager when a portion of a dealt hand appears unlikely to result in a payout.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide one or more bonuses not possible with traditional video poker games.
Unlike traditional video poker machines, which typically deal only five card draw poker, the present invention allows players to select from multiple variations of additional poker games. For example, hold""em, seven card stud, five card stud, five card draw, etc., and variations thereof can be played under the present invention.
The present invention adds excitement to traditional video poker by implementing additional player decisions and implementing a bonus payout based on a player""s poker hand in comparison to other displayed poker hands. As a result, a gaming machine of the present invention initially deals multiple poker hands from which a player must decide which hand to play. The player then plays the selected hand while the remaining unselected hands are effectively played by the gaming machine. Once the selected game is completed (i.e. all cards have been dealt and all draws, if necessary, have been made), the player is paid an amount from a standard pay table based on the player""s resultant hand and is further paid a bonus amount if the player""s selected hand is the highest hand of the multiple hands dealt. The bonus amount can be any predetermined amount dependent on a desired payout percentage of the particular video poker machine operating the present invention. As with all gaming payouts, the payouts must be such that casinos have an overall advantage while players win with enough frequency to justify continued play.
As each poker game offered will have its own rules and strategy, a preprogrammed method of play, if necessary, is designed for certain poker games offered to players. In the examples set forth herein, only the game of five card draw will require a true preprogrammed method of play. Games including seven card stud and hold""em do not require a player draw and can therefore simply be dealt out by the gaming machine. By implementing a basic card strategy for draw games and the like, the preprogrammed method of play will seek to create a competitive and realistic atmosphere associated with a live poker game. Players of the present invention will not only root for the strength of their own hand, but will also root against the unselected hands.
In a preferred embodiment, the multiple poker hands are figuratively played by electronically simulated poker players. The simulated poker players may appear as cowboys, movie stars, athletes or any desired group of characters. The simulated players may be fictitious or may be genuine famous people. In this manner, the player is participating against other simulated players and hands rather than simply considering his own single hand. It is further preferred that players have the option to choose, from a pool of simulated players, which simulated players will participate in the selected game. For instance, the pool may include ten simulated cowboys from which a player may select five participants.
By way of a first example hold""em is considered. As known in the art, a player first places a wager by inserting coins, bills or credit cards into a gaming machine. The player is also given the choice of how many xe2x80x9ccoinsxe2x80x9d to play per game. Playing a maximum number of coins provides the player with certain advantages, including increased payouts, eligibility for progressive jackpots, and with the present invention, a fold option. After the wager is placed, the player selects, by means of a button, touchscreen or mouse, which poker game he or she desires to play (i.e. hold""em in this example)
Thereafter, the player is provided with a display of multiple (e.g. 10) simulated players from which to select. The player then uses the selection means described above to select a predetermined number (e.g. 5) of the ten players to participate in the game. While each of the examples described herein include simulated players, the multiple hands may be dealt on a gaming screen without corresponding simulated players. The simulated players are included to add realism and excitement to the preferred implementation of the present invention.
The game begins with each selected simulated player being dealt, in order, two face down cards from a standard 52 card deck. In addition, three common cards which will be used in each simulated player""s hand, are dealt face down and spaced from the simulated hands.
The game player then selects which simulated hand to play. In this example, the selection is completely arbitrary. However, in an alternative embodiment one or both of the two face down cards may be dealt face up and the hand selection made prior to revealing the three common cards. In this example, once the player selects his or her hand, the two face down cards are exposed. Once the two cards are exposed, the player may elect to fold the hand and recover a portion of his or her initial wager. Preferably, the fold option is available to only players wagering the maximum number of coins. Assuming no fold, the three common cards are revealed and two additional common cards are dealt face up adjacent the original three common cards. The highest five card poker hand is made by combining the two player cards and the five common cards.
The player may then be awarded a first payout, depending on his or her resultant hand, according to a pre-established pay table. Accordingly, two pair may pay 5 coins and three of kind may pay 15 coins. Finally, all simulated hands are then exposed to reveal whether the player holds the highest five card poker hand at the simulated table, and if so, a bonus payout is awarded to the player.
By way of a second example, a game of seven card stud is considered. As with the hold""em example, an initial wager is made, the game is selected and simulated players are selected. The gaming machine will then deal, from a standard 52 card deck, five poker hands in a traditional fashion. Seven card stud begins with each simulated player receiving, in order, two cards face down and one card face up. Based on the first three dealt cards, the game player selects the hand (and corresponding simulated player) he or she wants to play. The selection will be by the selection means described above and will likely be made on the basis of the single card showing. In other words, a player is likely to select a hand with an Ace showing as opposed to a five showing. However, any hand may be selected as the player""s. Once the three initial cards are exposed, the player may elect to fold the hand and recover a portion of his or her initial wager. Again, it is preferred that the fold option be available to only players wagering the maximum number of coins. Assuming no fold, once the selection is made, the game player is dealt four cards face up while the simulated players receive three cards face up and a final card face down pursuant to traditional seven card stud. The cards are always dealt in order pursuant to conventional poker rules such that the game player""s selected player receives the first card off the deck and the simulated player to the right (as you look at the screen) receives the next card and so on in a clockwise fashion until all hands are complete.
The player may then be awarded a first payout, depending on his or her resultant hand, according to a pre-established pay table. Accordingly, a straight may pay 20 coins and a royal flush may pay 4000 coins. Finally, all unselected simulated hands are then exposed to reveal whether the player holds the highest five card poker hand at the simulated table, and if so, a bonus payout is awarded to the player.
By way of a third example, five card stud is considered. As with the hold""em and seven card stud, an initial wager is made, the game is selected and simulated players are selected. Thereafter, a first face up card and four face down cards from a standard 52 card deck are dealt to each simulated player. The game player then selects which hand to play. Once the selection is made, the game player""s cards are revealed and, if applicable, the player is paid according to a standard pay table. Thereafter, all remaining hands are revealed and the game player is paid a bonus if the player""s hand is the highest hand revealed. Preferably no fold option is available with the five card stud implementation.
By way of a fourth example, five card draw is considered. As with the hold""em, seven card stud and five card stud examples, an initial wager is made, the game is selected and simulated players are selected. Thereafter, five face down cards from a standard 52 card deck are dealt, in order, to each simulated player. The game player then selects which hand to play. In this example, as all cards are face down, the selection is completely arbitrary. However, in alternative embodiments one or more of the cards may be dealt face up to afford the player a hint of each hand""s strength prior to having to make the selection. Once the player has selected a poker hand to play, the selected hand will be revealed. While it is possible, it is not preferable to implement a fold option with five card draw. The player, in accordance with traditional video poker, then discards undesired cards which are replaced with new cards dealt from the standard 52 card deck. The cards are always dealt in order pursuant to conventional poker rules such that the game player always receives replacement cards first and the simulated player to the right (as you look at the screen) receives replacement cards and so on in a clockwise fashion.
The player may then be awarded a first payout, depending on his or her resultant hand, according to a pre-established pay table. Accordingly, a flush may pay 30 coins and a straight flush may pay 250 coins. Subsequent to the first payout, the remaining hands are exposed and played by the gaming machine according to a preprogrammed method of play described in detail below. If the player ultimately holds the highest poker hand at the simulated table, a bonus payout is awarded to the player. To add further excitement to the game, a bonus round is predicated on a game player receiving a predetermined hand (e.g. four of a kind). The bonus round consists of each of the simulated players being dealt a second bonus five card hand. The game player then plays each bonus hand dealt and receives a payout for each hand according to a standard pay table.
Although the examples are directed to hold""em, seven card stud, five card stud and five card draw respectively, any poker game or variation thereof may be played pursuant to the present invention.